IS THERE REALLY A BASTARD CHILD?

Under a number of earthly laws, legitimacy is the status of a child born to parents who are legally married to each other and of a child who is born shortly after the parents' divorce. On the other hand, illegitimacy (or being a bastard) is the status of a child conceived outside wedlock.

The consequences of illegitimacy were predominantly in relation to rights of inheritance to the presumed father's estate as well as being entitled to bear the father's name or title. It also had consequences on the right of the mother and child to obtain support from the alleged father. Today however, many countries including have through legislation abolished any legal disabilities of a child born out of wedlock.

Apart from the legal angle, let us seek deeper insights on this matter in the light of the Eternal Laws of God. We are not here for the first time as all of us have experienced past earth lives. By the workings of the Natural Laws, the condition into which one is born at this time depends on the way one has lived in past earth lives. The time of birth and the circumstance into which each one is born is carefully guided by the operations of the Natural Laws. This ensures that we are born into conditions which will achieve what our souls need for their redemption and further development.

Apart from the child who is offered an avenue to develop by being born to this world, all those who are close to the child stand to benefit from the newcomer. Parents, brothers and sisters if any and those that come in contact with this child are offered an opportunity to be blessed. They can take these tremendous opportunities to redeem their own past misdeeds through acts of love towards the child. This can be by taking good care of the child, educating him and nursing him in sickness. It can also be by showing the child good example which of course can help one to drop bad habits.

If we consider what has been stated thus far and that the purpose of our emergence on earth is to gain the necessary maturity that will lead us back to our spiritual origin, then childbirth will have a deeper meaning to us. We shall be compelled to regard each birth as a blessing from above offering the person born and all those who are connected with him an opportunity to advance spiritually.

Instead of dwelling on the circumstance or how a child is born, we should rather show gratitude to God for the mercies He grants anew with every single birth!